ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team suffered a 74-63 setback versus Hofstra on Thursday night, Jan. 30 in a CAA contest at Schar Center.
 
The Phoenix (14-8, 5-4 CAA) was led by TJ Simpkins and his 18 games off the pine while Sam Sherry added his seventh double-double of the year with 16 points and 10 rebounds. TJ Simpkins also tied the team lead with four assists for the maroon and gold.
 
Hofstra (12-10, 4-5 CAA) had four players reach double figures with Cruz Davis adding 18 points for the Pride. Michael Graham and Joshua Decady both had 15 with Graham grabbing 13 rebounds in the contest. Jean Aranguren also had a double-double with 11 points and 12 boards.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• It was a tight contest for the first seven minutes of the game as the Phoenix trailed the Pride 11-10 after a Sherry three-pointer. Hofstra came back with a pair of unanswered baskets to take a 15-10 advantage before Elon trimmed it to two after a triple that beat the shot clock by TJ Simpkins.
• Hofstra would see its lead grow to seven, 20-13, after a three-pointer by Decady. The Phoenix would fall behind by as much as double figures, 25-15, with eight and a half left to go in the first half.
• The Pride took its largest lead of the half, 35-21, after a three from Decady, with 3:58 left in the half. The Phoenix was able to end the half on an 11-4 run with a triple by Nick Dorn before the horn to cut its deficit to seven, 39-32, going into the half.
• Elon cut it to a four-point game after TK Simpkins opened the second half with a three to make the score 39-35. The Pride however answered with a 11-2 run to carry a 50-40 advantage into the first media timeout of the second half with 14:36 left in the game.
• The Phoenix made it a seven-point game, 52-45, after a three from TJ Simpkins, but a 6-0 run from Hofstra saw its lead swell to 13, 58-45, with 11:30 left to play.
• A jump hook in the paint by Hofstra gave the Pride a 63-49 lead with 8:21 left in the game. A 6-1 run by the Phoenix brought the hosts to single digits, 64-55, after a triple in transition by Dorn with 4:38 remaining.
• Elon would get as close as eight, 69-61, after TK Simpkins split a pair at the line with 1:10 left in the contest. The Phoenix would be held to two more points the rest of the contest as the Pride came away with the 74-63 victory.
 
NOTES
• Hofstra improved to 14-5 all-time in its series versus Elon with the Pride winning six straight on the Phoenix's home floor.
• Elon hit 10 three-pointers in the game, its highest total since knocking down 12 triples versus Virginia-Lynchburg on Dec. 12.
• The Phoenix had a season-low four turnovers in tonight's game. That is the fewest amount that Elon has had in a game since having five at Valparaiso on Dec. 18, 2022.
• Sherry has now scored 951 points in his Elon career. Tonight's game was his 18^th game of the year scoring in double figures and his tenth career double-double.
 
UP NEXT
Elon is back on Saturday night, Feb. 1, hosting Northeastern to close out its four-game homestand. Game time between the Phoenix and the Huskies is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will stream on FloCollege (FloHoops).